How can you tell when a product that claims to be natural, really is? You might try reading the label; however this may get a li le confusing. Ingredients in skin care and beauty products are listed by the chemical names. An all natural product should stand out from the rest because it should contain more easily recognizable ingredients. But if you want to be sure, you should carefully scru nize the label and research any ingredients that you are unsure about. Here are a few in par cular to avoid: 1)ALCOHOL, ISOPROPYL (SD 40): is found in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lo ons, a er shave lo ons, fragrances and many other cosme cs; a very drying and irrita ng solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin's moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. It is made from propylene, a petroleum deriva ve and is found in many skin and hair products, fragrance, an bacterial hand washes as well as shellac and an freeze. It can act as a "carrier" accelera ng the penetra on of other harmful chemicals into your skin. It may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin. A Consumer's Dic onary of Cosme c Ingredients says it may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomi ng, narcosis, anesthesia, and coma. Fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less. 2) MINERAL OIL & PETROLATUM: Mineral oil is a deriva ve of crude oil (petroleum) that is used industrially as a cu ng fluid and lubrica ng oil. The oil which being sold as baby oil is 100% mineral oil. This commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin and hair just like plas c wrap. The skin's natural barrier is disrupted as this plas c coa ng inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb the Natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutri on). The skin's ability to release toxins and wastes is impossible through this "plas c wrap," which can promote acne and other disorders. It further hinders normal skin respira on/transpira on by keeping oxygen out. This process slows down skin func on and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age. Holding in large a mounts of moisture in the skin can "flood" the biology and may result in immature, unhealthy, sensi ve skin that dries out easily. Mineral Oil has a tendency to dissolve the skin's own natural oil and thereby increase dehydra on. Mineral Oils have been found to be probably the single greatest cause of breakouts in women who use a new product." Deborah Chase, 'The New Medically Based No Nonsense Beauty Book, 1989. Petrolatum A petroleum based grease that is used industrially as a grease component. Petrolatum exhibits many of the same poten ally harmful proper es as mineral oil." 1
3) PEG: This is an abbrevia on for polyethylene glycol that is used in making cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products. Because of their effec veness, PEG's are o en used in caus c spray on oven cleaners and yet are found in many personal care products. PEG's contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also poten ally carcinogenic. 4) PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG): As a "surfactant" or we ng agent and solvent, this ingredient is actually the ac ve component in an freeze. There is no difference between the PG used in industry and the PG used in personal care products. It is used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of) yet is found in most forms of make up, hair products, lo ons, a er shave, deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste. It is also used in food processing. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protec ve gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver and kidney abnormali es. May inhibit skin cell growth and be irrita ng to the skin. Consumers are not protected nor is there a warning label on products such as s ck deodorants, where the concentra on is greater than that in most industrial applica ons. 5) CHLORINE: According to Doris J. Rapp, M.D., author of Is This your Child's World? exposure to chlorine in tap water, showers, pool, laundry products, cleaning agents, food processing, sewage systems and many others, can effect health by contribu ng to asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchi s, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium diabetes, dizziness, irrita on of the eye, mouth, nose throat, lung, skin and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure and nausea. It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair. 2
6) SODIUM LAURYL SUFATE (SLS) & SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES): SLS is a strong detergent which can cause eye irrita on, permanent damage to the eyes, especially in children, skin rashes, hair loss, flaking skin and mouth ulcera on. It s used in tes ng labs as the standard ingredient to irritate skin. Used as detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. SLES is the alcohol form (ethoxylated) of SLS. It is slightly less irrita ng than SLS, but may be more drying. Yet both SLS and SLES are used more widely as one of the major ingredients in cosme cs, toothpaste, hair condi oner and about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam. They both corrode the hair follicle and impede hair growth. They are used in personal care products because they are cheap. A small amount generates a large amount of foam, and when salt is added it thicken to give the illusion of being thick and concentrated. (SOME OF THE NITROSATING AGENTS ARE: SLS, SLES, DEA, TEA, MEA). Shampooing the hair with a product contaminated with these substances can lead to its absorp on into the body at levels much higher than ea ng nitrite contaminated foods. When combined with other ingredients, can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. Easily penetrates the skin and can lodge itself in the heart, lungs, liver and brain. (Could contain nitrosamines and dioxane (poten al carcinogens). May damage children s teeth; contain endocrine disrupters, estrogen mimics; and possibly cause hair loss. Builds up in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain. Could retard healing, cause cataracts, roughen skin, and lead to improper eye development in children under 6 years. May cause mouth ulcers. 7) DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethnanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine): DEA and MEA are usual listed on the ingredients label in conjunc on with the compound being neutralized. Thus look for names like Cocamide DEA or MES, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone disrup ng chemicals and are known to form cancer causing nitrates and nitrosamines. These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. On the show, CBS This Morning, Roberta Baskin revealed that a recent government report shows DEA and MEA are readily absorbed in the skin. Dr. Samuel Epstein, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois said "repeated skin applica ons of DEA based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of two cancers liver and kidney cancers." John Bailey, who oversees the cosme c division for the FDA said the new study is especial important since "the risk equa on changes significantly for children." Foam boos ng surfactant. A poten al carcinogen that may form carcinogenic nitrosamines. 3
8) FD & C Color PIGMENTS: Many color pigments cause skin sensi vity and irrita on. Absorp on of certain colors can cause deple on of oxygen in the body and even death according to A Consumer's dic onary of Cosme c Ingredients. Debra Lynn Dadd says in Home Safe Home: "Colors that can be used in foods, drug, and cosme cs are made from coal tar. There is a great deal of controversy about their use, because animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic." 9) FRAGRANCE: Fragrance is present in most deodorants shampoos, sunscreens, skin care, body care and baby products. Many of the compounds in fragrance are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. "Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most or all of them are synthe c. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discolora on, violent coughing and vomi ng, and allergic skin irrita on. Clinical observa on by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperac vity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes," (Home Safe Home). 10) IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA and DMDM HYDANTOIN: These are just two of the many preserva ves that release formaldehyde (formaldehyde donors). According to the Mayo clinic, formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reac ons and trigger heart palpita ons. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infec ons, Chronic fa gue, dizziness and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Serious side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer. Nearly all brands of skin, body and hair care, an perspirants and nail polish found in stores contain formaldehyde releasing ingredients. These formaldehyde forming preserva ves can cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pain, chronic fa gue, dizziness, insomnia and asthma. Can also weaken the immune system and even cause cancer. Found in skin, body and hair products, an perspirants and nail polish. 4
11) TRICLOSAN: a synthe c "an bacterial" ingredient with a chemical structure similar to Agent Orange! The EPA registers it as a pes cide, giving it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment. It is classified as a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. Its manufacturing process may produce dioxin, a powerful hormone disrup ng chemical with toxic effects measured in the parts per trillion; that is only one drop in 300 Olympic size swimming pools! Hormone disruptors pose enormous longterm chronic health risks by interfering with the way hormones perform, such as changing gene c material, decreasing fer lity and sexual func on, and fostering birth defects. It can temporarily deac vate sensory nerve endings, so contact with it o en causes li le or no pain. Internally, it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse, and convulsions. Stored in body fat, it can accumulate to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidneys and lungs, and can cause paralysis, suppression of immune func on, brain hemorrhages, and heart problems. Tu s University School of Medicine says that triclosan is capable of forcing the emergence of "super bugs" that it cannot kill. Its wide spread use in popular an bacterial cleansers, tooth pastes and household products may have nightmare implica ons for our future. 12) PRESERVATIVES: (methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl [parabens]): These chemicals are o en used in cosme c formulas to inhibit microbial forma on and extend the shelf life of the make up products. They are commonly used in commercial applica ons even though they are known to be highly toxic and to cause allergic reac ons and skin rashes. 5
OTHER CHEMICALS TO AVOID: Aluminium Chlorohydrate, Aluminium chloride, Aluminium sulphate, Aluminium phenosulphate BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole)bht (Butylated hydroxytoluene) BNPD (Bronopol or 2 bromo 2 nitropropane, 1,3 diol)2 bromo 2 nitro propane 1 3 diol (BNPD, Bronopol) Coal Tar Dyes Fluorocarbon Dioxin Nitrosamines Ethylene Diamino Tetra Acetate (EDTA) Flouride (Sodium Sonofluorophosphate, Sodium Flouride) Formaldehyde (Quaternium 15, DMDM Hydantoin, MDM Hydantoin, Methanal) Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA) Synthe c Dye/Colorants (FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No 5 & 6, D&C Red No. 33) Phthalates Saccharin Talc 6